Printing machine



Oct.

1927' D. J. SCOTT PRINTINQ MACHINE Filed Feb 2. 191

13 Sheets-Sheet 1 n rromvzr Oct.

1927 D. J. SCOTT PRINTING MACHINE 2. 1917 15 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb.

INVENTUI? Dawn! .1, 5m? ff ATTORNEY Oct.

1927' D. J. SCOTT PRINTING MACHINE [N v/ I roR fiavz'dJSratt BYW AT T 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb.

to 0c 1927 D. J. SCOTT PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1917 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Oct.

1927' D. J. SCOTT PRINTING mourns Filed Feb. 2. 1917 1 Sheets-Sheet 5 U :51 (liter Oct. 18, 1927. J. SCOTT PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1917 13 Sheets-sheet 6 g ml I W l 1 1111 n H g M Q Q n m. I I I I I I I I I i I l W- a mm nw fi w mliollalml, m L Q QI L mk llb/ lurllmrl Oct.

1927 D. J. SCOTT PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1917 15" Sheets-Sheet '1 Oct. 18, 1 D. J. sco'r'r PRINTING MACHI Filed Feb. 2. 1917 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 w av O t- 18,1927. D J SCOTT 1,646,114

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1917 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 by: /Z.

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A HORNE Y D, J. SCOTT Uct. I8, 1927,

PRINTING MACHINE 3917 Sheets Sheet 10 Film). Feb

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PRINTING MACHINE- Filed Feb. 2. 1917 15 Sheets-sheet 11 Oct. 18,1927. D J SCOTT 1,646,114

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1917 13 Sheets-Sheet l2 5:! mm to c I (1 071520111 Oct. 18, 1927.

D. J. sco T PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1917 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID JOHN SCOTT, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ISABELLA SCOTT AND DAVID J. SCOTT, EXECUTORS OF THE ESTATE OF WALTER SCOTT, DECEASED.

PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed February 2, 1917.

This im'entibn relates to web printing machines and in particular to printing machines having a plurality of individually operable printing units.

Many eti'orts have been made in the art of printing to design a single, self-contained, printing machine having the capacity and adaptability necessary to meet any requirement likely to be made in producing all of the constantly varying combinations of pages and sections that constitute the difl'erent editions of a modern metropolitan newspaper. Such etiorts have invariably resulted in the design of machines that have proven slo and cumbersome in operation chiefly by t eason of the location of the paper rolls n positions in which they were ditticult to manipulate, the threading ot' the web leads in crowded and inaccessible stretches, and the general failure to so co-ordinate the different printing units as to provide for rapid changes in the co-operative grouping thereof to produce any required edition whether or not other editions were at the moment being printed in the same machine.

The failure of manufactures to produce a commercially successful machine of this type because'of the sacrifice of rapid and easy operation has made it necessary heretofore tor newspaper publishers to install a sutlicient number of individual presses to print the largest edition protiluced. and in addition. it was necessary to have each of such presses of sufiicient size to print an edition having the largest number of pages that must be produced at one time. The obvious result of this was the necessity for providing a much larger equipment than could be etliciently used since there was occasion to use the whole number of such presses only at comparatively infrequent intervals.

The large machines of this type were not readily operable in small individual units without a considerable adjustment; of parts.

Serial No. 146,213.

tively unusual for two rolls to become exhausted at the same moment. This resulted, of course, in a great loss of efliciency while the machines were actually operating, and this coupled with the occasion for allowin a number of the presses to be wholly idle i or a considerable portion of the time, called for the investment of an unnecessarily large outlay of capital in the printing machinery equipment.

One of the objects of the invent on is to provide a single, self-contained printing machine with a plurality of printing units having the combined capacity and the adaptability to produce the work of the several separate machines heretofore required in a newspaper printing plant and which will be free from the objections noted.

Another object is to provide a printing machine having a plurality of printing units, or press sections, which can be connected to operate as three octuples, four sextufales. or six quadruples. or in any other combination possible with the given number of printing units.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a printing machine having a plurality of printing units operable individually or in groups. and a plurality of driving units any of which can be operatively connected to any printing unit or to any group of printing units.

Still another object is to provide a printing machine having a plurality of individually or collectively operable printing units arranged in horizontal alinement and in such relation to the driving mechanism that no part of the driving mechanism projects into the space beneath the printing units.

With these and other objects in viewthe invention consists mainly in the provision of a printing machine having twelve printing units which can be operated individually or in any combination to form any product Also when operating at full capacity as a required in the production of. a modern 0 single printing unit, it was obviously necessary to feed each machine from a great many rolls of paper. and there was no alternative except; to stop the operation of the entire press as each roll became exhausted. In a machine feeding from eight rolls. it will be seen that it was practically impossible to avoid stopping the press eight times during the period, approximately twenty minutes, required touse up a roll, since it is comparametropolitan newspaper. With the twelve. printing units are combined a 'lurality of driving units and a plurality og'folders '50 arranged that any driving-unit or folder, or

group of driving units and folders, can be driven from any given driving unit. Other features of the invention will be referred to the specification proceeds.

in the accompanying drawings there are illustrated two embodimen of the inven- 1.10

tion hot it to he understood that the invent- 1: may he carried out hy other enihoditnents litl' tent t'roni tlio e wleeted tor illu tiation l igurtw l and 2 t gether t' lltllll'ist? a plan view of a ttttttltlltt tllllurti \'lll, the invention and howing; one term of the dri\in; 1' m t-in tlltisiti ttmd. and with the printing unit. and the :iawn'iatin: and toltlin; nieehanian l lllltt 'll t he .almol eiearne.

Figure I, and 4 together rontprise a \ide elevation t the tnarhinia looking in the direet on ot' the arrow 5) in Figure T with part l'tllhHt' l tor the alte ot' elearne. and arranged to operate in quadruple press units.

1 ur and ti together form a diagramnrit pi it \ion it the niaehine showing the reta n-- 1 the t lflittltil units. and the asso eizuin; .Y l'i hildin nerhanisin.

Figure i' represents an end elevation of the ina h ne loolt'iize in the direction of the arror. I in l ie'ure t.

Figure.v it and ltt together show a side eieration ol' the niaehine with parts removed for the :ake ot elearnees and bhowing one Hltlll l ot threading the weh for the operation of the machine in oetuple press units.

Figure it ia diagrammatic view of a portion at the inat-hine showing a method for threadiinr the weh in the operation of the t!t:t='hit e in sextuple preunit hinure 1; s an end view of a et of folders looking in the tliret'tion ot' the arrow 12 in Figure a l he'itreh 1 5. 14, and 15 together how a, plan view f a inoditied form of driving inetrh- 22111:

:1- ire lt ia a view of a portion of the lr in one of the modified forms iijip l-tt t n side tlQVtttlon.

-1- it i a tliag rannnatie view of a 2 o ii i .5 innehin; taken along the an i it are 1:3 -and showing an end t not him ot driving nieeh- -ll-ir'- i t w iui nt ol' the in t i. i i now it oi the drawing.

i -t -d a inii i unit printing .i; t' hrtinsg twelve individual printing -etions. the g neral relatiw hit-h is llltllt'lltttl hy the referals l-- J. 3-- L Hint I} lo atioh ol Walt {militia and 1 12. printie units are J-lti It Will he 11! that thetwelw thins arranged in two parallrl roux of six units eaeh. lret'erahhy eaeh printin nnit eonsists ot' two f ntr-pagowide ri nine rouplw. i-apa itated to prin pzp' ht'i itj t'nt'ft'ittg' ntunhew (i tam tsp teen. and two illtll unit ran he operatively .Ulillt' 'ii l together to torni a quadruple f Specially useful in printing' paper. of 2' i t'ttnte. ,t'tiurteen or .-ixteen pages in one a: Lionw and t-wentyeight and thirty-two twelve printing nnitare prrterahl r ;t!- ranged in v ix grou of two ilwlv n 'iated printing ltttit t-u 'h. and melt itll group iprovid d with .i :dlttjlt lohlei and a -in "le driving; nn-rhanhnt. that the printitn, inaehine show it and dewrih d. tupriws twelve printing unit. with whi -h are a oeiated ,ix folder; and -i,\ dririn; tt lt-s.

In the grouping of th printing units into the six quadruple itllKK un t referred to. th printingunit l ali-z are operativel asxoeiateil with the folder 1 3 and the driviinq unit in t f rth a quadruple pre: the printing unit 2 at... t with the folder it and the dririn; unit :2 the pr ntin units 5 and i with the t" if and the tlri\in; uni: 'l the p'intii g tinth' ti and k with the folder l6 and the ii rit E1115 unit 2:5: the print inn units 9 itlttl wit". the tolu'er IT and the (h'ivinp unit and the printing units 10 and 12 with the folder 1? and the driving unit 2-1. 'ith an arrangement ueh a: this, as shown in part in l*i;1nre i and i. it will he Clear that. in effect. the niaehitn l lth heeu converted into six independent. individuallv operable. quadruple presbea, any one of whieh run he operated singly or an nnnnr-r ot' whichran he operated simultaneously on the Shiite or on dilterent work. It will he equally t-lear that the Stopping of any one of the \ix quadruple pres; units tor repairs or tor the supply of paper interferes in no wa with the operation of the remaining units.

With an old r arrangement of printing units and fol ler sueh as the one just tlCH'liliOd, it will he apparent that the quadruple presses at the lelthand end of the machine which feed to the folder? l3 and 14. together with the quadruple IJI'PFSLB at the right-hand end whieh feed to the folders l7 and 18 constitute what, may he termed end fUltlH inathiner, wh h the eentral printing! unit forming; the tljtltltlt'ltiilt presses whirl: feed to the int rouwd folders I?) and it? are rentral folder foitttS.

Not only van the twelve printing unit- 5ft;- ing to make up the nnuhine he eonveniently grouped together to torni quadruple pre esx hut h v llttzlttF ot suitahle coupling eonneetions air other tle ired arrangement and grouping of the printing: units and driving niet'hanistns nnrv he made to eoniply with the re ptiretnenta oi presentalay new paper wort-z.

The twelve printing unit ran alw he lttttlil) arianged in group of three to l titttt tour -e.\t2ipl prewes. (:[H lElllj' u-eiul in proihi ing eighteen. twenty. twent -two. or twenty-tour page papers in one set'tion. and aim thirtwsi'x, forty. fatty-tour. or forty right page Z'UIHLlIItHiOHb in two or more seetions. In such an arrangement as indicated in part in Figure 11 the printing units 1, 3 and 5 are operatively associated with the folder 13 and the driving unit It) to form one sextuple press; the printing units 2, 4 and 6 with the folder 14 and the driving unit 20; the printing units 7, t) and 11 with the folder 17 and the driving unit 23; and the printing units 8, 1t) and 12 with the folder 123 and the driving unit 21. With this arrangement the machine has been divided into four independent, individually operable scxtuple presses. any one of which can be o swated singly, or any number of which at be operated simultaneously.

It will be seen that when the printing units are grouped in this manner to operate sextuple presses that each scxtuple unit operates a central folder machine. and that the centrally located driving units 21 and 22, together with the corresponding folders 15 and 16, are not used but are held in reserve.

As is well known in the art a third in quently used printing unit i the octuplc press and the coupling connection employed in the printing machine disclosed permit of the division of the twelve printing units into groups of four to form three octuple presses especially adapted to produce twenty-six. twenty-eight, thirty, or thirty-two page combinations in either one or more sections. or fifty-two, fifty-six, sixty, and sixty-four page combinations in a plurality of sections. To obtain such an arrangement, as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10, the printing units 1. 2, 3 and 4 are (Iperativcly associated with either one or both of the driving units 19 and 20 and with either one or both of the folders 13 and 14 to form an octuple press. There is a like association of the printing units 5, 6, 7 and 8 with the driving units 21 and 22 and the folders 15 and 1G to form a second octuple press, and of the printing units 9, 10, 11 and 12 with the driving units 23 and 24 and the folders 17 and 18 to form a third oetuple. The three octuple presses thus provided are capable of individual or combined operation as may be found desirable.

While specific arrangements of the printing units of the machine into groups to produce the three most generally used machines, that is. the quadruple, the sextuple, and the octuple press, have been described, it is possible with the apparatus shown to ar range an almost unlimited number of other combinations so that press groupings or arrangements of any desired capacity can be readily secured. For example. the printing units may be coupled up to similtaneory produce an octuple. a i et'tuplc. and a Quad :uple press produ t. or any vnibiuuti ri o ach products, withi: We rapa it a? t number of printing umtin ti." nraah is.

Another example is the so-called decuplc combination by means of which products up to eighty pages may be obtained. This is accomplished by combining units 1, .2. Ii. 1 and 5 with one or more of driving units 15). :10 and 21 and with either folders 13, H and 15 one decuple machine and combining units 7, fl, 1 l1 and 12 with one or more of driving units 23 and 24 and with either folders 15. 17 or '18 as another decuple machine. In these circumstances the re maining units 6 and 8 can be coupled up with driving unit 22 and folder 16 to run as an independent quadruple; or. instead of having two dccuples and a quadruple, the ma chine may be arranged as one decuple com-- prising units 7, 9, 1t), 11 and 12 as previously described and the remaining units may be arranged as one octuple comprising units 1, 2. 3 and l and one sextuple comprising units 5. (3 and 8, such sextuple using one or both of motor units 21' and 22 and using folder It; or 18: or. the machine may be run as two double sextuples by combining units 1. 2. 3, 4. .3 and ti with one or more driving units 19, 2t), 21 and 2:2 with folders 13, 14, 15 or 16 as one double sextuple and combining units 7, 8. S), 10. 11 and 12with one or more driving units 23 and 21 with folders 15, 16, 17 or 18 as another double scxtuple.

In order to operate any desired combination of printing units it is desirable to provide driving connections between the printing units and the driving units which will make it possible to drive any printing unit or group of printing units from preferably an; given driving unit wherever located. "lhese driving connections include as the main driving members the two lines of sectional shatting which extend substantially from end to end of the machine as shown in Figures 1, 2 of the drawing. By means of suitable coupling members, which will be hereafter more specifically referred to. the various shaft sections may be inter-con nected to form any de ircd driving connection preferably between any driving unit and any printing unit or group of printing units.

It will be seen, by referrin to Figures 1-2 and Figure 7 of the drawing, that the entire driving equipment. including the driving units and the shafting 80, is mounted in a pit beneath the framework of the ma chine, and that the two lines of shafting 80 are placed between the two parallel rows of printing units and underneath the removable tloor. or grating 81, of the central passageway that extends the length of the machine. By this arrangement, not only are he main driving shafts placed outside the latu'al boundary lines of the pres; units ,vh they will offer no obstruction to the i of a web to a printing unit from a I roll nte l at a lcwer point, but they are plan n \xh 'h the niper mils :ire innunteii in t! i ihttll tti nr other I'UIIH henezith tin- ]Hw i'ti litl. thrE! tin i ii helieutii the printing unte itt wi he iit'ii i'itit' fur the I \whs.

i iet'ervnw in figure T f the iirttwing the nriungrinent iii the n'intin; i-nu iies in ein-h printing unit ('tlH he 'tt'll. The uitnury printing tliiit illt'illtitfi n phite \i intier UL. w ini with ink irnni tlli t)l'tiirunr i'trni nt' inking lllt't'iinlliflll H3. anti u'itninq' nne .-i te iii the web (H zl it 1l t (130! th nnire 'inn \'iilltiti (1."). There is uiw :t r-t t)tiiiill' printing: t-nunle min irning liiiit t' \iilriet' ttt w in-ti with ink hy the inkingnn-rhuniuu 5.11mi trintin the other Hi tin- In th rtrrziitueii iit ui the l iilttititj tutj iein em h printing nnit UH iwiwu in Fig. ure it it w lt he rttit littll (:Ufii printing 1)ilii\ t' \'iilt h-t' t l i i mint ut u mnrenieut. height .l iiitt'tlti the win rzti 1m sage hetweeli the twti semnthirr i hi i' iin ier i i hit'tlteti at :i somewhat higher t-i rutinn zit the outer sithj: (if the nnit'hine where it i-- zt 't'twsihiu from the :nijueeut phui rin W. The t-t't'ti]itit'tl' plate r viintierr-p tngether with th ir inking Hitt'iiitliimtlfi HT r ninunteii in the eiernted pmitirn heu n in nrtier tn nmhr rnwn inni i nt-uth i'er the wt-h rolls it whieh. then-hire. (it) not ru ttire any ihwsl' span-e minute the routines i' the tlillt'iliiit itiltiltM'UI'h anti in tttiti iitiil. zire ttlFii) ieresi i1-ie :itzili iil tt'.

'ihthinnpznrewride wh. printed (in truth shit. i-- h-zt upuzmily from the t'nrreqmntiin; printing unit, surh its 1 in Figure 3, over the 'ni ie rnih-r 5 tlllti thenre :irunnti the hmt-r rniier 73 where the web is Pen trail (iiYitil i in any uii;ihi(- means til the po nt W. in :lii three nt-i s arrangements :ahnnn the twn i\\tf -l"l -\\'iti web sset'tinmi luiit the pruuin; unit 1 are ieti from the lune! a iieiu: T21 ti the 'tll'lvstit t'tiitlgj inwer 5 1mm nit. iHWH \iui'rti iine in Figi in are fi Vtii u i rtrr reni'tt": Hu wrtnm e iuwer :entntiiy int-mi weh rniier 72 and the uthrr about the inwer rear \\':tt'tii pla -mi rniier T2. it wiii he sttll thzit the rniler T2 are llii'lti .it ight ;tlif !'ittn the roller 73 un i thzit the twn w b ertinn-- tit. when tiiteiteti uiinut the ruiiers T2. t-l'ttYt'i in Mtpetpnwmi rehltinti ,i UIWVIH'tihY hv ween the upper ziini th iu'wtt' ;-et ni' ztl tl'ie inith 15 sm-iziteii with the ltl'iiitiitfltfUHpit I :ltui tiienre tn the fnhier 1 3. The weh trout the rinting mupie Ii tzikw :i iuiih1r (nurse nnti i ietl (run) this mutate iitlitillil the weh set-lions t'rnln the irintin; enupie t tn the t'uhier iii.

in Figure It i .-hn\\'n :1 illtiiit i f iiil'ttltiin; thr we!) when the tiit'=-i printing units 1. anti 3 tH' H 'iiiitti tn inrni it extupie rmnhiuutiun The weh evtinn in this zirriuiuenient tire ieti [ruin the printing unitl :nui in the t'nhh-r l? in the muntier uireiniy ihwriheti. wi ere they are jnineii in weh 'ti iii;- t'rnin the printing unit I- tn term :i extuph- 1 -a product. it will he wen that the web et-tnins have their iiiri-etinn oi trnrei twice reversed in panning frnin the printing unit 5 in order tn therein inn t the wet St't'tiUHS and proritie i'nr their reguhitinu in u manner well-known in the art.

In tin mtu h: lil'(rarrangement the web SttiitillS irnni the t l'itil ttfl' tlltits 1 and 1, RH Hint! (Hiltiilt'itti tn the inhier 13 21 indii-nteii in Figure H hut. in nihiitinn. the web ettinn i'rnin the rintiin: units 2 and i at the n ipmite izh nt' the nuivhin- :lre ieii thrvueh tiii nhhi. li; tit'titl tn eihnt thin. th 1-H evtinntinin the ,uiiitinji units 2 nu tire (m3. tiit'itti the u er gjtiiiie inih-r 1 Tit Emu-mi m' til" inner tint-s. us i.- the ruse with the inn 1 iiiiii mini i'run'i the rnih-i T th we-W -tviit t? tli' itti t0 the other i=h- (it the urn-hint ntni -ii\erteti :t Hlti the upper st-t 0i EliiLiil wnrs 69 (if the printing un ts en that itie (:i' the maritime. This t\t'i';l i;IeIItt'Ii1 i inttienteti generally in the eini view nt the tlllltfilillt v hnwn in Figure T. i\ shown in Figure 8 the further tUiil'.-t (it the weh h\tYiiU]l trnin the upper --et of angle hum illlti around the upper enith roller T2 and themtn the fuhier 13 it r il1lii;l! to that (it the w th t((i0iifw 'truni the printing it i Hliti 0 that the eight (tiillilh ent r the 'i'nhier 1 3 in :i miperpet eti i'ehitinn iii iinii-utwi in igure The weh thtrzniiug arrangement iie Ht'l'iiitti for the it iliiitifl etiuphrs at the lei't hun i end (if the nnsrh n run. of rnu'rse. he utiiizeth for the renmin in lllliis. The threading. imw xer. ii'nr th i'tntrni group i i printing uuit- 5. U. T end R (Uilltiifiithf itht'i itti; fer the t.\tu !r tli'ttltitl'tllltlii in nrtier in hrins iizt' \wii :ertinna nut to the i'uhiew If) :uni 1T int-mi et' tiirm-t nq the web in the rentruiix uni t -thh r 1. in the other twe nnrnnii we tilii int' inns.

ers are intended only for examples, and out of the almost endless number of possible paths through which the web sections ;may be directed, it is a simple matter to choose anv desired combination. 1

y referring to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing the general arrangement of the anle bars 69 and the web rollers 72 comprismg the associating mechanism located over the central passage between the parallel lines of printing units and accessible from the platforms 85 of Figure 7 as well as the passageway, can be seen. The arrangement and construction of the associating mechanism is such that the web from any printing unit may readil be directed to any of the folding devices by a single quarter turn, as will be obvious.

As will be seen the quadruple press units at the left-hand end of the machines form an end folder machine and the guadruple press units at the opposite end 0 the machine are of the same ty e. However, the two printing units 5 an 7 at the central part of the machine have the corresponding folder 15 interposed between them so that the webs from these two units do not travel together until they arrive at the folder. These units form, therefore, a central folder machine.

It will be noted that there are auxiliary folders 75 mounted over the main folders 18, 14, 17 and 18 in Figures 3 and 4 and over all the main folders in Figures 8, 9 and 10. These auxiliary folders are shown for the reason that they provide means for producing certain desirable combinations that have been found useful in meeting the requirements of a number of the more important newspapers. It is obvious that these auxiliary folders may be omitted altogether or that they may be placed over different main folders, or that all the main folders may have auxiliary folders mounted over them as may be found most useful,

In Figure 12 of the drawing is shown a face view of the roup of folders shown in side elevation in Figure 8 ofthe drawing. Each folder comprises the usual former 86 which makes the primary longitudinal fold in the web. The paper passes down over the formers between the rollers 87 from which it passes between cutting cylinder 88 and the transverse folding cylinder 89 to any suitable delivery mechanism. it will be clear that the four folders shown in this figure can be arranged to produce dillerent roducts, and, if desired, three of them can x used merely l0 longitudinally fold corre sponding Webs all of which can be transversely folded and cut by the devices associated with eithrr of the folders 13 or 14. An arrangement such as this is illustrated and it will be seen that the longitudinally folded web sections $1 pass from the former 86 of folder 75 through the rollers 87 and thence about the tension roller 96, thence to the upper guide roller 97, the lower guide roller 98 and over one of the rollers 87 of the. folder 13. Likewise the web sections 61 from the folder 75" pass over the guide roller 329, the tension ro'ller 100, the guide roller 101, and thence about one of the guide rollers 87 of the folder 14. From this point the web sections from the folders 7 5 and 14 travel about the tension rollers 102 and guide roller 103 to the rollers 87 of the former 13 where the webs from all four folders are associated to be transversely cut and folded by the cutting cylinder 85 and folding cylinder 89 of that folder. The folders shown are of well-known construction and different types of folding devices can be used without departin from the invention shown and describe Any suitable mechanism, not shown, may be used for driving the folders from the drive shafts and preferably the gears 90 and 91 on the drive shafts form a part of such driving mechanism.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 and 8 to 1,0 of the drawing each of the driving units is located directly underneath a printing unit, the six driving units 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 being mounted beneath the printing units 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 respectively while, as has already been pointed out, in the modification shown in Figures 13 to 16, the driving units are mounted beneath the folders l3, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Each drivin unit preferably includes variable speed mechanism whereby a gear ratio that will provide for driving the corresponding printing unit at a slow speed in starting, can be utilized, and which can be eliminated when the nertia opposed to starting has been overcome. This general type of driving mechanism is the well-known Kohler system as installed by the Cutler- Hammer Mfg. Co, an embodiment of which is shown in the patent to Stone 628,190, July 4, 1899. Each driving unit preferably consists of a main motor 55 adapted to directly drive the motor shaft 36. and a smaller starting motor 56 connected to tie motor shaft 36 through a gear train inclu ing the pinion 57, gear 58, pinion 59 and gear 60 mounted to rotate on the motor shaft 36. The gear 60 is adapted to be coupled to the motor shaft 36 through a ratchet drive in dicated generally at ($1. Controlling means, not shown, are provided for first starting the small motor 56 to turn the main motor shaft 36 at a relatively slow speed, and then starting the main motor which directly drives the shaft 36 at a higher speed which does not affect the starting motor mechanism by reason of the ratchet mechanism at (21. Preferably, also. current is automatialiy mt or? from the starting motor when it is turned on through the main motor 55.

inn

printing coup! from the driving mecha nism the bev l gun 52 carried by the inipression cylind shaft 5? can be moved out of m sh with th lit-ml gear 54 on th vcitr cal drive hall :3 It will s n that the mere connect ing o" di count-cling ot' the bevel gears 52 and 51 may put the corresponding printing unit into or out of operation.

In the moduh :i in whi the in "or units are shown fl luoilutcl underneath in folders instcad oi' midi-1 lit-a l inting nanthe m thod of connecting thi driving units to the various printing units differs from that shown in the first modification in that in no instance is a motor connected to one of the main shafts through one of the transverse shafts 29 or 29, but each one of the six driving units is connected directly to an adjacent section of one of the main lines of shafting through the pinion 76 on the motor shaft 36, the intermediate gear 77, and the slip gear 78 on the adjacent section of shafting. By means of this gear the correspond ing motor may be thrown into or out of op erative connection with the shafting by sli ping the gear into or out of mesh with tie gear 77, will be readily understood. In this modification the end shafts 28 and instead of the shafts 29 and 29 are supplied with coupling members 37 and 37, and the shafts sections 38 and 38' are extended and )rovided with bevel gears 95 and 95" meshing with bevel gears 79 and 79' on the shafts 28 and 28.

It will be seen that in the invention disclosed a printing machine has been provided which in .i simple form and a greatly reduced cost embodies all the advantages pos scs 'etl by a number of smaller machines. t nc mounting of all the units at substan tially the floor ievc makes them quickly accessible and enables thc user to readily rodu e the. maximum output, regardless o the varying character of 'thc produii. and of whether it is necessary to opera e the machine as octuple, sextuple, or quadruple presses, or as different combinations of these units.

lVhat is claimed, is:

1. In a printing press, the combination of twelve press sections, driving means for said press sections, and means for connecting said driving means with said press sections for driving the press as quadruples as tour sextuples. or as three octuplcs.

2. In a printing press, the combination of two press sections arranged in longitudinal alincment with each other, a third press sec tion arranged in alinement therewith, a line of shutting extending longitudinally of said press sections, connections between said shal'ting and said press sections, means located between said first-named two sections and said third section for driving said shafting for operating said press sections, anglellill'S over which the webs printed by said sections may be turned and associated to run longitudinally of said sections. and mcan, lo at d between said tirstnanz d two tions'and said third section for giving the as-ocialed \vchsfrom aid e tions a longitudinal central told.

It in a pain-lug prcs the combination oi two press -!'.i'il tarranged in loi'igitmlinal al nc'ucna v ith ii h other. a third pre -ee tiou arran -gy-d L l alincincnt lhcrcwith, a line of shatting extending longitudinally of said press sections connections between 'said shatting and said press sections, means located between said first-named two section and said third section for driving said shatting for operating said press sections, an lebars over which the webs printed by said sections may be turned and associated to run longitudinally of said sections, means lo cated between said first-named two sections and said third section for giving a central longitudinal fold to the webs, and other alternative means located at the end of said third section fo giving a central longitudinal fold to said webs.

4. In a printing press, the combination of two press sections arranged in longitudinal alinement with each other, a third press section arranged in alinement therewith, two other press sections arranged in longitudinal alinement with each other alongside of said first-named two sections. a sixth press section arranged in longitudinal alinement with said second-named two alined sections alongsii'le of said third section, angle bars over which the webs printed by said sections may be turned and associated as desired to run together longitudinally of said sections at either side of the press. a line of shafting extending longitudinally of the said press sections at each side of the pres. connect ons between said lines of shafting and said sections respectively, meansfor driving said shafting for operating sat d press sect ons, and means located between said third and sixth press sections and the remaining press sections for giving the associated webs from said press sectionsa longitudinal central fold.

5. In a printing press, the combination of two press sections arranged in longitudinal alinement with each other, a third press section arranged in alinement therewith, two other press sections arranged in longitudinal alinement with each other alongside of said first-named two sections, a sixth press section arranged in longitudinal alinement with said secondnamed two alined sections alongside of said third section, angle-bars over which the webs printed by said sections may be turned and associated as desired to run together lon itudinally of said sections at either side of t e press, a line of shafting extending longitudinally of the said press 

